ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsPperverse
ISEE/SSAThard
perverse
Meaning: deliberately unreasonable or contrary to what is expected
perverse in a sentence
How perverse is used in real sentences:
Out of perverse pride, he rejected the help he clearly needed.
The child took perverse delight in rebuilding the tower incorrectly after every correction.
“She argued that repeating a known danger merely to honor custom was perverse, then invited masons to test her maps against the terrain.”
— from the passage The Northern Channel
Synonyms for perverse
Other words for perverse — contrary, obstinate and wayward — carry the same meaning.
- contrary
- obstinate
- wayward
Antonyms of perverse
Words that mean the opposite of perverse:
- compliant
- reasonable
- accommodating
Where it comes from
From Latin perversus, meaning 'turned the wrong way.'
Memory hook
PER-VERSE: a verse that defies the whole poem is perversely contrary.